Metal fabric.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAURICE LACHMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL ELECTRIC WELD- ING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METAL FABRIC.

Specification of Letters'Patent.

Patented June 5, 1917.

Application filed November 5, 1909. Serial No. 526,348. I

tain new and useful Improvements in Metal Fabrics, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to metal fabrics comprising longitudinal and transverse members integrally united at their intersectlons, whereby a structure suitable for reinforcement for concrete construction, fences and the like is attained.

The object of my invention is to provide a fabric or structure comprising crossing members, one of the members having a considerably larger cross-section than the other members and which members are electrically welded to each other at their intersecting points without specially preparing the pieces for such welding, and thereby the costof producing the structure is greatly lessened, while at the same time a fabric or structure of considerable strength is attained.

Heretofore in order to electrically weld the intersections of crossing bars and wires in which one member is of considerably larger cross-sectional area than the other, it has been necessary to specially provide the larger piece with ridges, oints or similar projections to form a restricted area of contact for the larger piece so that the surfaces of contact for the two pieces will heat uniformly. This makes an additional operation necessary and consequently the finished article more expensive than if the parts could be welded without this special preparation of one of the pieces.

In a structure made in accordance with my invention I obviate the necessity of preparing ridges or points by merely welding the piece of smaller cross-sectional area to a corner of the piece of larger area which corner is preferably rounded.

My invention consists in the improved structure for metallic fabrics or reinforcements for concrete hereinafter more particularly described and then specified in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a metal fabric constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1 and shows the intersecting pieces before being welded together.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, partly in section, and shows the intersecting pieces welded together.

Flg. 4 is an edge view, partly in section, of a'modification, the pieces being shown in pos1tion previous to welding.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line ww of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the lighter members which, in a metal fabric of .large area, constitute the longitudinal distributing Wires, and 2 indicates the heavier members or tension rods or bars of a metal fabric such as might be used for reinforcement in concrete construction. The distributing wires 1 are preferably round wires as is usual and the tension rods or bars 2 which take the load and strain are heavy bars or posts of a considerably greater cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the wires 1.

The bars 2 are of any suitable conformation as regards cross-section and are preferably provided with at least one rounded corner to which the distributing wires are welded. The curvature of the rounded corner is preferably approximately the same as that of the periphery of that portion of the distributing wire which is presented to the corner, whereby equalization of heating of both pieces due to the passage of an electric current is obtained.

The intersections of the two members are welded together by passing an electric current from one to the other through suitable contacts and simultaneously applying pressure so that the metal of the two members will be forced together as it softens, as is usual in the practice now well known in the art of electric welding.

The fabric obtained is distinguished by the sides of the members 2 adjacent the corner to which the members 1 are welded being disposed at an angle to the plane in which the members 1 are located.

To obtain a more restricted area of contact between the distributing and tension members, either or both might be formed of material having sharp edges, such for instance as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 in which both members are provided with sharpedges or corners. In this modification the distributing wires are square rods 1 andithe tension rods 2 are provided with a square corner or sharp edge to which a sharp edge of the rods 1 is brought in contact and the intersection welded as heretofore described.

It will be observed that the distributing wires or members 1 are welded direct to the body portion of the tension rods and not through any specially prepared surface or projection.

What I claim as my invention'is 1 1. A metal fabric comprising a plurality of longitudinal members and a plurality of square or rectangular transverse members of relatively greater cross-section crossing said longitudinal members and welded thereto by a corner of said transverse members, the sides of the heavier members being disposed at an angle to the other members.

2. A metal fabric comprising a plurality of longitudinal members and a plurality of square or rectangular transverse members of greater cross-sectional area than the longitudinal members and provided with a rounded corner joining two of the sides, said longitudinal members engaging the rounded corner of the transverse members and welded thereto and the sides of said rectangular members adjacent the rounded corner being disposed at an angle to said longitudinal members.

3.. A metal fabric or structure comprising longitudinal and transversely disposed members, one of said members having a greater cross-section than the other and the lighter member welded to a corner of the heavier member, whereby the sides of the heavier member adjacent the corner are disposed at an angle to the plane of the lighter members.

4. An article of manufacture comprising one or more longitudinal bars polygonal in cross-section, the intersection of the principal faces of which form edges, and one or more transverse metallic members arranged in contact with one of said edges of said longitudinal bar or bars and electrically welded thereto.

5. An article of manufacturc,the same comprising one or more longitudinal bars and one or more transverse members engaging said bars, each of said longitudinal bars having longitudinal faces which converge and meet forming a longitudinal edge, each of said bars being disposed so that said ed e engages said transverse members and t e faces forming said edge are both at an angle to said transverse members, said bars and transverse members being welded to each other at the points of intersection.

6. The herein describedarticle, comprising a rod of square cross-section and metallic members extending across said rod in contact with an edge or angle of said rod, and welded to said rod at the point of intersection.

7. An article of manufacture comprising a series of longitudinal rods, square in crosssection, and a series of transverse metallic members welded to the angles of said longitudinal rods at the points of intersection.

8. The herein described article comprising rods of angular cross-section and relatively large cross-sectional area, and stay members of relatively'small cross-sectional arei'awelded to the longitudinal edges of said r0 5.

9. The method of making welded fabric, which consists in arranging metallic tie members acrossa plurality of rods of square cross-section, arranging said rods so that all their longitudinal flat faces are at an angle to said tie members and one of their longitudinal edges in contact with said tie members, and welding said tie members to said longitudinal edge of each of said rods.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York, this 3d day of November A. D. 1909.

MAURICE LACHMAN.

Witnesses:

IRENE LEFKOWITZ, EDWARD M. JELLINEK. 

